Adventures of The Chompy Mage
by Bandicoot Sauce
Summary: Written to celebrate Skylanders: Trap Team. Follow the escapades of the Chompy Mage as he journeys from his simple youth to being a fully capable wizard. See how he came to befriend Chompies everywhere, find his way to Willikin Village, where he went before and after and how he ultimately ended up conscripted by the Trap Master Skylanders.
1. No Longer Home on The Range

**Adventures of The Chompy Mage**

1: No Longer Home on The Range

Greetings. Wait, who are you, anyway? You don't appear to be a Chompy. If you're not a Chompy, then I don't like you. Deal with it.

What's that? You want to know who _I_ am? Well, fair enough, I suppose. In fact, I was just getting to that, actually. I am the Chompy Mage, self-appointed guardian of all Chompies in Skylands. Many people fear Chompies, most likely because of their somewhat ravenous nature and razor sharp teeth. As such, they are often subjected to acts of… cruelty. Unfair, I say! Chompies are living creatures, too! The Skylanders have no right to wipe them out, even if some of them do work for Kaos. Anyway, while others shun these misunderstood beasts, I welcome their company, and they welcome mine. I protect them, feed them and offer them friendship. In return, they show me unwavering loyalty. I didn't ask them to; they just do. They fight for me, and I fight for them.

My Chompies and I travel across Skylands, seeking only what we need to survive. I should probably start from the beginning, but first, let me introduce my good friend, Chompy Puppet. Say hello to the Portal Masters, Chompy Puppet.

"Hello."

Nice. Now, you're probably wondering how I ended up being the skilled wizard you see before you. Take a seat, grab some enchiladas and for goodness sakes, if you need to use the bathroom, go now. I don't want my story interrupted. Thank you.

Now, my story starts with me as a young boy. I was growing up in the Outlands as a simple farm boy, helping my father raise a fine flock of sheep to distribute the best possible wool throughout Skylands. My mother died when I was very young, so it was just me, Dad and the sheep themselves. My dad treated sheep farming like it was the finest thing in the universe, as did his father before him. As for me, I never particularly cared for the beasts. I would help my dad to sheer them, feed them and, if necessary, put them out of their misery (usually so as to have a nice Christmas dinner), but I felt no real affection for them.

Growing up in the Outlands was hard, though not just because of the labour involved in running a farm. There were scarcely any people out there, so it was rather lonely most of the time. Occasionally, a traveller would stop to ask for directions, or a desperate criminal who had been exiled by Portal Masters would attempt to poach a sheep or two, but other than that, contact with the outside world was minimal, except for when the sheep wool was collected to be distributed to wherever it went. A Molekin and his son, Diggs, were in charge of that.

Diggs was the only other kid I knew for most of my childhood, and he wasn't all that much fun to play with. Most Molekin have poor vision above ground and, though young, Diggs was no exception. When the rickety old airship came for the annual wool supply, Diggs would always hurry over to greet me, often wondering around for up to ten minutes until he found me, even if I was right out in the open. I didn't feel like talking to him much, but he was the only thing close to a friend that I had. He'd tell me of his travels across Skylands, describing most experiences by how they smelt rather than what they looked like. Needless to say, it wasn't much info to go on. I usually just nodded my head, then remembered that he couldn't see that I was nodding my head, and instead mumbled my replies uninterestedly. I wanted to get out there and see what he had smelt, to experience the wonders of Skylands beyond my home, to LIVE! But Dad kept saying the following:

"Your place is here, my son. Here, by my side, where I need you. I know that this life is not always easy, but it is always rewarding."

"But it's so desolate here, Dad." I finally responded when I was ten years old. "I want to go out there and make friends."

Dad didn't like the idea of having me go off into the big world without him, but he also felt that I deserved a friend. That was what led to him giving me my Christmas present early that year. I still remember lifting the lid of the bright red box to see the little googly-eyed green hand puppet within, and I don't think I had ever felt so happy until that moment. The puppet was so cute. I hugged Dad, overjoyed that I finally had a friend to call my own.

From that moment on, I kept Chompy Puppet with me at all times. As I fed the sheep, I would often seek his insight, making him respond to my current thoughts.

"Do you think this is enough food for them today, Chompy Puppet?"

"Just as long as there's enough food left for you and me. I'm starving!"

Dad noticed how attached I was to Chompy Puppet and was happy for me, but after a while, I think he was a little weirded out by how seriously I took the illusion of the puppet being alive. He didn't say anything, but he started shooting me disapproving looks when I tried to feed my brussels sprouts to Chompy Puppet.

So, life was peaceful for a while, with just me, Dad and Chompy Puppet working together to keep the farm running smoothly. I have to admit that I was starting to think that Dad was right; that I'd be doing this unwavering regime for the rest of my life…

And by gum, I knew I had to get out of it, even if it meant hurting Dad inside. So I devised a plan. One day, my chance came when the collection airship pulled up for the wool supply. It was time to see just how much of a friend Diggs considered me. While Diggs' father and my father went inside for a cup of tea, leaving me and Diggs to play in the field, I set my plan in motion.

"Diggs?"

"Oh, hi, buddy! Didn't see you there!" Diggs said, chuckling. "How've you been?"

"Never mind that, Diggs. Listen, I need you to do me a big favour, as a friend." With that, I whispered my plan to him, just in case my dad overheard. When I had finished, the young Molekin frowned.

"I don't know." he said. "I'm not sure if we'd get away with it. Our dads would be really mad if they found out."

"Diggs, please!" I pleaded. "I can't spend my whole life feeding and shearing sheep. There's got to be more for me and Chompy Puppet out there! We have to go out and find it, whatever it is!

Diggs thought long and hard about it, torn between loyalties. After a minute or two, he decided.

* * *

"Thanks for the tea!" Diggs' father called as he walked out of the house towards the ship. "It's a real pick-me-up, as always!"

"You're welcome!" my father replied. "My son grows the tea leaves himself! A real green thumb he's got, that boy of mine!"

Diggs and his father prepared for takeoff. They checked that everything loose was tied down, that the sails were still in good condition and that the skies ahead were clear. Before long, the wooden ship took to the skies, disappearing over the horizon. My dad watched it go and went back inside.

"Always nice to see those two isn't it, son?" He asked. His face then fell as he realised that I wasn't there. He didn't find me in the barn, either. Or in the field. Or in my room. Or even in the bathroom.

"Son?" he called, starting to get worried. "Son?! SON!" He started to cry sadly, realising that I had vanished.

Meanwhile, I was hidden in a crate underneath a pile of sheep wool, peeking out through a crack at Diggs, who was doing his best not to look nervous while he watched his father steer the airship.

I know that what I did to Dad was cruel, but I still feel that it was for the best. Besides, it's probably a good thing I left when I did, because not long after I left Dad behind, I discovered something about myself that I don't think he would've taken well.


	2. The Young Mage Cometh

2: The Young Mage Cometh

When the delivery ship reached the docks at Mabu Market, Diggs helped me and Chompy Puppet off the vessel while his father conversed with the merchant who had ordered the wool. He wished me luck and shook my hand. I said my goodbye and then made my way out onto the streets, keeping Chompy Puppet raised so that he could take in the fascinating sights all around us. A few passerby seemed puzzled, glancing at us as they walked by. They had never seen a young boy carrying a puppet before, but I paid their inquisitive looks no mind. I was just marvelled by how many people were around here! It was a far cry from the quiet farm I had left behind. At this thought, I turned and looked back at the now distant docks, obscured by a sea of chatting heads. I could make out Diggs' father's ship taking off. Any chance of backing out of this was literally flying out of my sight. It was official: I had left the past behind and the future lay ahead.

But first, I needed something to eat.

I soon learned the hard way that the food displayed all over the place was not free for the taking. I soon found myself running for cover as an annoyed merchant chased me with a rolling pin, yelling "Thief! Thief!" to anyone who would listen. I managed to shake him off in the crowd, but it was still a somewhat harrowing experience.

"Sheesh! You wouldn't think taking one little orange would be such a big deal!" I exclaimed to Chompy Puppet. "I mean, the guy had a whole row of crates full of 'em!"

"I know! It's madness, I reckon!" Chompy Puppet replied.

As I quietly snacked on my bit of food, I noticed a few kids my age somewhere to my right. They were all crowded around, looking greatly intrigued about something. I made my way over to them, eager to make some new friends in this new place.

"Whoa! Skylanders trading cards!" a Mabu boy gasped in awe.

"Oooh! let me see!" a girl who appeared to be undead cried excitedly.

"Hey, guys. What's happening?" I asked, making myself known. They all turned to look at me and as soon as they did, they burst out laughing.

"Ha ha! Look at his baggy clothes!"

"Get a load of that weird hand puppet!"

"I'm not weird! Who says I'm-?" Chompy Puppet started, but I motioned for him to be quiet while I tried to fit in.

"Did you say something about trading cards?" I asked, interested. "What are those?"

"You don't know what trading cards are?" the undead girl asked in disbelief.

One of the boys sniggered. "What a loser! Doesn't even know about somethin' totally normal!"

"He looks like some kind of hillbilly!" another said teasingly. The kids then all started moving away, still fawning over those 'trading cards'.

"Hey, wait!" I called, hurrying after them. "I thought that we could be friends!"

The boy holding the cards, a pointy-eared Drow elf, snorted. "Yeah, right. Beat it, kid. We've got no time for someone lame like you."

I felt sad as I watched them go. Apparently, it was a lot harder to make friends in this place. As they walked away, I saw some bigger, burlier kids striding up to them. Probably more friends of theirs, or so I thought.

"Hey, losers, what you got there?" The biggest one said, snatching the trading cards away. He was a crimson furred wolf. "Oh, Skylanders trading cards, eh? Trading cards are dumb! _You're_ dumb, Flameslinger!" he declared. With that, he tore one of the cards in half.

"Hey!" the card owner, Flameslinger, cried in dismay. "That was a limited edition card of Legendary Spyro!"

"Well, boo hoo." the bigger boy said sarcastically. "It's just a stupid piece of cardboard with a picture on it. A loser like you could probably draw up a whole bunch that are equally as crummy." He then poked Flameslinger in the chest. "Are you gonna join the Skylanders when you grow up, Flameslinger?" he asked mockingly. "Or are you gonna get a job testing diapers?" The tough kids all laughed uproariously.

Flameslinger sniffed sadly, pulling out a large red kerchief. He dabbed his eyes with it and then wrapped it round his head like a headband, glaring at the tough guy who had wrecked his best card. "You're just a big bully, Wolfgang."

"Is that a fact?" the bully demanded. "Well, I was going to give these back, but now, I think the guys and I will go somewhere and burn them. So long, losers!"

"No! Wait!" Flameslinger cried, chasing after them, two of his friends following suit. I didn't like the way those bigger kids had been mean to him. I followed as well, feeling sympathy for Flameslinger and his friends. The bullies soon retreated to a dark alleyway where a flaming barrel awaited them. They got ready to hold the cards over the flames.

"Noooo! Please don't!" Flameslinger wailed, racing into the narrow passage, the undead girl and Mabu boy at his heels. "I'm sorry I called you a bully! Just don't burn those cards!"

"You had every right to call him a bully, Flames." the undead girl said, her arms folded. From my hiding place, I could see that she was wearing some sort of leather accessories on her elbows, as though for protection. A stone bicycle helmet rested on her pink hair, a few stickers depicting skulls stuck all over it. "That's exactly what he is! A big, dumb bully with no consideration for others, and he smells like a Trog Wanderer!"

"That's it." Wolfgang said, handing the cards to one of his cronies and cracking his knuckles. "Not only are we gonna burn the cards, but we're gonna bust you up good, chumps." The bullies began to advance threateningly on the kids. The Mabu boy whimpered and hid behind the girl while Flameslinger raised his fists, which were shaking. That was when I made my move.

"Stop!" I cried, leaping out in front of the trembling Drow, facing Wolfgang.

"Yeah, stop, you dirty lamb!" Chompy Puppet chirped.

"Dirty Lamb? No one calls me that!" Wolfgang said, raising his fists. I closed my eyes and awaited the punch…

But it never came.

I opened one eye to see that the bullies had all fallen over.

"Yikes! What was that?" one of the cronies asked nervously.

"I think it was a tremor or something." Wolfgang said, shrugging as he got up. He raised his fist again and tried to hit me. A bright orange shockwave shot out of nowhere and sent him reeling, falling onto his back once more. As his cronies helped him up, he sniffed the air. "I smell smoke." he mumbled. Then he screamed and leapt around, a terrified look on his face. He had fallen against the flaming barrel and his back fur had caught alight! His cronies helped him put it out and he wheeled around to face me again. "This is all your fault!" he snarled. He ran screaming at me, his face a mask of rage. His claws extended and he went for my throat, but he never got that far. Instinctively, I held my hand out and an enormous shockwave sent his entire gang flying out the far end of the alleyway. They picked themselves up and looked at me, terrified.

"Run away?" one of them asked.

"RUN AWAY!" Wolfgang howled, already fleeing. "MOMMY!" he wailed as he disappeared out of sight.

Flameslinger bent down and picked up his cards. I turned and started to walk away, my work done.

"Wait!" he called. I looked back at him. "Thanks." he said. "I don't know what you did, but… thanks for helping us."

"Yeah, you were awesome!" the Mabu boy declared, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You were like, _whoosh_, and they were all like, 'Aaaah!' and it was epic! BOOM!"

"That… was cool." the undead girl said. "Scary, but cool."

"I was wrong about you." Flameslinger said, shaking my hand. "You're not lame. You're… a good friend."

I beamed at that.

"I'm Flameslinger." the Drow said. "This is Flynn and Roller Brawl." he went on, gesturing to the Mabu boy and undead girl respectively. "What's your name?"

"He has magic, so I'll bet he's some mage's apprentice or something, and that he has some cool, mysterious name." Roller Brawl guessed.

I thought about telling them my real name, but maybe it was better left in the past. Besides, one of the words Roller Brawl mentioned had a nice ring to it.

"Oh, just call me… Mage." I answered.


	3. School Daze

3: School Daze

When Flameslinger learned that I had nowhere to stay, he invited me to live at his place. Overtime, we became best friends, which goes without saying, I'm sure.

Three years later, Flameslinger's parents enrolled us in Skylands Junior High and that was when things started to get interesting. My dad had told me about puberty when I was ten and I had been dreading it ever since, but I discovered that it had its perks. Flames, Flynn and I all had terrible acne, that was true, but we soon discovered… Yeah, you all knew this was coming.

We discovered - say it with me - _girls_.

More to the point, we really began to take notice of Roller Brawl (and I'm sure you knew that was coming, too). Her deathly pale skin, once a little creepy in our eyes, started to appear stunningly beautiful. Her fangs seemed to gleam and her sunken eyes were like gateways to another dimension, and when she walked past us, we could catch a whiff of the strawberry scent of her braided pink hair. Oh, yeah. Dreamy.

But more about Roller Brawl's incredible attractiveness later. Right now, we had science class. The teacher pulled the sheet off the cage at the front of the classroom so we could see the specimens within that we were soon to be dissecting. A few kids gasped. Some closer to the front of the room even screamed and hurriedly moved their chairs back. I, on the other hand, was curious about these strange creatures I had never seen before. They were small, green and had several rows of teeth and beady little eyes. They were leaping about in the cage, trying to chew their way out.

"Settle down, kids." The teacher called. "Yes, these are Chompies, but that's no reason to panic. Safety measures will be used to make sure that no student gets hurt while dissecting them." She held up a bottle of a murky substance. "The Chompies will be administered chloroform, making them a bit more manageable."

The soon groggy Chompies were administered to each student, stumbling clumsily around the metal trays they were placed on. I picked up my scalpel and stared at the little green beast. It was just an innocent creature. It had never done me any harm. Why should I end its life just for the purposes of 'science'?

Flynn was lowering his scalpel towards his Chompy. Before I knew what I was doing, I reached over and knocked his scalpel flying.

"Hey-!" he started annoyed.

"Leave it alone!" I cried, surprised at my own words. I grabbed his tray and my own, hurried to the window and tipped the Chompies out into the flowerbeds. They stood up, shook themselves and started to stagger away across the grass. I started grabbing other students' trays and releasing the Chompies while the teacher desperately tried to maintain order.

"Go! Run! You're free!" I cried. I then opened the door leading outside, rushed over to the cage that still held a number of ravenous, un-sedated Chompies and opened it. They raced around the room, biting at tables and chairs while the students screamed in terror and stood on their desks.

I suddenly heard a familiar scream. Roller Brawl was at the back of the room, Chompies coming at her. I raced to her side, grabbed her hand and ushered her outside away from the frenzy.

"ARE… YOU… CRAZY?!" she screamed, glaring daggers at me while Chompies leapt out the windows and doorway, the teacher having grabbed a broom to chase them out. I gazed back at Roller Brawl breathlessly. I don't know why I did what I did then, but somehow, I feel that I'd do it again.

I pulled her close and kissed her full on the lips.

At first she cried out in muffled protest, but then she just melted in my arms, sharing the moment with me. Neither of us really knew why we were kissing, or why we liked it so much, but our lips were still locked together when all the Chompies were finally chased off. I wasn't really focusing on anything else, but I think Flameslinger and Flynn had seen us and were dumbstruck.

After that incident, Flameslinger was quiet for a while, not speaking to me in classes or at recess or lunch. I think that he might have had a crush on Roller Brawl and was disappointed and jealous that I had beaten him to it. After a few days, I told him that there was nothing between us and that the kiss was just a spur-of-the-moment type thing. I wasn't sure if he believed me, but during recess the next day, I saw him talking to Roller Brawl and when the next class began, he sat next to me, greeting me with a smile. I knew that our rivalry was forgotten and that we were fully friends again.

"Class, we have a special Skylander guest here to talk to you today." the teacher announced. Interested murmurs broke out through the classroom. "Please put your hands together for Snap Shot!"

Enthusiastic applause sounded from most students. Wolfgang just rolled his eyes and muttered bitterly as the Skylander stepped into the classroom.

"Hello, students. Yes, I'm Snap Shot, as your teacher pointed out, but I'm not your average Skylander." the crocodile said. "Who can, and I want to see hands up, kids - who can tell me why?"

Flameslinger raised his hand. So did Flynn.

"Yes, the young Mabu." Snap Shot said, pointing at Flynn.

"Because you're a Water Element Skylander?" the boy asked.

"Well that is true, but it's not quite the answer I was looking for. Anyone else?"

"Because your weapon is made of Traptanium?" Roller Brawl asked.

"That's part of the reason, yes, but why is that?" Snap Shot asked with a hinting voice, indicating at a small crystal shard on his belt. "Why am I authorised to use a Traptanium weapon?"

"Because you're a Trap Master Skylander." Flameslinger concluded, smiling with satisfaction at knowing the right answer.

"Correct! What's your name, young man?"

"Flameslinger, sir."

"Well, Flameslinger, you seem confident in your knowledge of the Trap Masters. Why don't you tell us how myself and associates go about our work?"

"Well, first of all, the Traptanium properties of your weapons allow you to greatly weaken foes more quickly than regular Skylanders. Then, once you subdue an enemy, you use pure Traptanium crystals to capture your targets, sealing them inside. You then take the crystals to Cloudcracker Prison, the base of your operations, to release the prisoners into their cells, which are also made of Traptanium to contain them."

"Correct again, and very well put. Here." Snap Shot said, tossing the crystal shard to Flameslinger. "That crystal's magic has worn off, but for showing impressive knowledge, you can keep it for luck. I think you've got the makings of a great Skylander, kid."

Flameslinger beamed, pulling his kerchief over his eyes like a blindfold, making him look heroic. "Thank you, sir."

"Now, I'll take any questions you students have about the Trap Masters." Snap Shot said.

Wolfgang raised his hand. "Yeah, I have a question for you, copper." he said cheekily. "How many donuts did you have _before_ breakfast today?"

Snap Shot glared at him. "I wouldn't poke fun if I were you, Wolfgang." he said, making everyone shocked that the Skylander already knew the teenage werewolf's name. "You've already been in trouble with the Skylanders on two counts of theft and one count of a werewolf bite."

"Oooooooooh!" The girls crowed.

"Well at least I didn't set a bunch of Chompies loose in the classroom." Wolfgang stated, looking over at me. A few kids chuckled knowingly and I hid my face.

During the lunch break, I went to my locker to get Chompy Puppet out, only to find Wolfgang leaning against it, blocking my access.

"What do you want, Wolfgang?" I demanded suspiciously.

"I've been thinking, Mage." he answered. "Three years ago, you attack me with magic, and just the other day, you set a bunch of Chompies free in a crowded classroom. I've come to realise something." He stepped forward and I expected him to try and hit me or something, but he surprised me when he folded his arms and smiled at me.

"You have a flair for mayhem." he concluded. "I admire that." With that, he reached into his own locker (which was right next to mine) and pulled out his bone guitar. "Mage, I'm the lead guitarist in the school's newest band, the _Calamity Crusaders_. Tell me, can you play an instrument? 'Cause if you can, I'd like you to be a back-up player on Friday night."

"You mean at the school dance?" I asked.

"Precisely. You have until Thursday to make up your mind, or I'll get someone else to do it." Wolfgang said. He walked away, leaving me to mull the whole thing over. I had been planning to hang out with Flameslinger, Roller Brawl and Flynn at the dance, but when would I get to be in a band again?

* * *

_Friday night…_

"Hey, where's Mage?" Flynn asked, glancing around the auditorium, a drink cup in his hand. "He said he'd be here."

"Maybe he got sick." Flameslinger suggested, looking around at the colourful streamers, disco ball and the snack table that stretched from one end of the far wall to the other.

"Hey, guys, killer at three o'clock." One of Flameslinger's friends, T-Bone the skeleton, said, tapping him on the shoulder. Flameslinger turned and saw Roller Brawl standing in the entrance. She was wearing a flowing black dress with silver glitter all over it. She had let her bubblegum shaded hair down. It was glossy and silky. She wore a little black lipstick and dark eyeliner. Her fangs were brilliantly white.

She. Looked. Amazing.

"Hey, guys." She greeted, sounding oddly shy. "I'm not overdressed, am I?"

"Only to the extent of awesomeness!" Flynn exclaimed. "That's right! BOOM!"

"Roller Brawl, you're… you're…" Flameslinger stammered.

"Yes?"

"You look absolutely stunning."

She smiled at him. "You're not too bad yourself, Flames." she replied.

"Hey, guys, it's starting!" T-Bone said excitedly. the group turned and watched as the curtain on stage started to rise.

"Welcome, students, to the school's charity dance! We hope you have a fun, safe evening." The Principal greeted through a microphone off to the side somewhere. "Now, please welcome… the _Calamity Crusaders_!"

The students applauded wildly as the lights hit the stage, revealing Wolfgang and his cronies wearing sunglasses and holding their respective instruments. At the back of the group, a handmade flute prepped in his hands, was…

"MAGE?!" Flameslinger and the others exclaimed in disbelief.

"I didn't know he was in the band. Did you know?" Flynn asked.

"Nope, he didn't say anything to me." Roller Brawl said, looking as surprised as the rest of them.

Flameslinger looked hurt and irritated. "My best friend didn't tell me he was in the band." he muttered bitterly, pouring his drink into the nearest bin.

The band started to play and I have to say, I was pretty good at playing the flute, but it was Wolfgang who really stole the show. He sure knew how to work that guitar!

We were halfway through our first song when something happened that shook up the entire evening. The drummer bumped the big drum with his foot and it broke open to reveal…

"The charity money?!" the Principal cried in disbelief. "STOP EVERYTHING! THE BAND'S TRYING TO STEAL THE CHARITY MONEY!"

Everyone was shocked, but none more so than me. I hadn't known anything about this scheme.

"What do we do, boss?" the drummer asked Wolfgang.

"CHEESE IT!" the werewolf declared. The others grabbed as much money as they could carry and fled while I stood there, horrified at what was going on around me. Amongst the crowd, I could see my friends. Roller Brawl looked shocked. Flynn looked like he might faint. But it was Flameslinger's reaction that really got to me. He looked at me disapprovingly and turned away, making a slow, dramatic exit. He didn't view me as his friend anymore. I knew that he and the others wouldn't believe that I was an innocent bystander. So I did the only thing I could.

I fled.

I caught up to Wolfgang shortly, spotting him running through the dark streets. By the look of things, he and his cronies had split up. He still had armfuls of gold coins.

"Hey!" I called, making him jump. "What's the big idea? How could you drag me into your criminal scheme?"

"I had to!" he snarled. "I needed an accomplice in case things turned sour! If I get caught this time, it'll be the big house for me! It'll be a Traptanium cell! I can't do that to my Mom!"

"If you didn't want to hurt your mother, then you shouldn't have become a crook in the first place!"

"I wouldn't point fingers, Mage! I heard that you ran away and left your widow father in despair!"

We suddenly heard voices nearby. Spotlights began to shine from everywhere.

"The trail's still warm! One of 'em went that way!" I felt a knot tighten in my stomach as I recognised Snap Shot's voice.

"The Skylanders!" Wolfgang gasped. "I have to get out of here!" He started to run for it.

"Hey, what about me?" I demanded. "It's your fault I'm involved in this! If you had any decency, you'd help me!"

Wolfgang turned and looked back at me, a faint look of sadness spreading across his face. "I… I have to go while the going's good." he told me. He disappeared into the night. I looked around as the Skylanders started to get closer. I needed to hide! I spotted an unattended stand selling costumes. I hurried over and grabbed one off the rack. It was a green robe with a Chompy design complete with a fake white beard and a long wooden staff with a plush Chompy mounted on the end...

"Over here!" I think I've found 'em!" Snap Shot called to the other Skylanders. They crowded around the costume store, spotlights shining all over it. "Come out slowly with your hands in plain sight!"

The Skylanders were surprised when a figure in a green Chompy robe stepped out into the open. "I've closed up shop for the night, fellas!" I announced, trying to sound irritable and not nervous, waving my staff like an angry old man. "If you wanna buy a costume, come back when it's daylight!"

Snap Shot frowned suspiciously. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"I…" I hesitated, thinking fast. "I am the Chompy Mage! Who else would I be?"

Snap Shot stared at me for a few seconds, then lowered his weapon. "Did anyone suspicious come through here?"

"If by suspicious, you mean a big stupid werewolf that smelt like a Trog Wanderer," I said, remembering Roller Brawl's insult from way back when, "Then yeah, I saw him. The big bully knocked me down as he ran through here with all them shiny coins. Kids these days have no respect for their elders, I tell you."

"Don't worry, sir. We'll take care of it." With that, the Skylanders departed, leaving me to think sadly about my friends. I couldn't go back to Flameslinger's house now, not with the Skylanders looking for me. Besides. Flameslinger and the others obviously didn't trust me anymore. I'd have to keep moving, on the run...


	4. A Hair-Erasing Experience

4: A Hair-Erasing Experience

You're probably expecting that I was quickly caught and punished for my 'crime'. Nope, it wasn't that easy to hit rock bottom and land myself in Cloudcracker Prison. I began life on the streets, setting up an act with Chompy Puppet to earn money, but not many people wanted to see a guy dressed as a Chompy and his puppet dance around singing outdated campfire songs. The kids got a kick out of it now and then, but I knew that if I was to survive, I'd need to come up with a new strategy.

One evening, I was sitting at a lone table in the corner of a tavern in Mudwater Hollow, minding my own business and enjoying my bread and cheese with a pint of root beer, when a young Sky Baron of about nineteen came up and challenged me to something called Skystones. I didn't know what he was talking about. Skystones? What were they? It soon became apparent that it was some sort of game. I was intrigued, but I admitted that I didn't know how to play. The Sky Baron seemed surprised, stating that Skystones tournaments were all the rage nowadays. Having lived in the Outlands for most of my life, the only game I had ever played was Hide and Seek, and due to Diggs' blindness, I always won.

"Well, it's no problem!" the Sky Baron said cheerfully. "I'll teach you how to play, if you like."

"Thanks, but no thanks." I replied. I was just trying to keep to myself and not do anything that might attract the attention of the Skylanders. I had already stolen a basket of muffins due to a lack of coins this week and the community was becoming very alert.

"Well, that's a shame." the Sky Baron said. "I was thinking of making a few coins, but-"

"Wait, you can play this game for money?" I asked, my interest suddenly piqued. I needed some gold or the times ahead could be tough. "You talked me into it."

"Great!" the Sky Baron said, conjuring a stack of about five stone cards from nowhere and placing them on the table. "Since this is your first time playing, I'll give you some stones to get you started." He conjured his own stack and started to explain the rules, demonstrating techniques and talking about the value of different cards. I tried to pay attention, Chompy Puppet gazing over my shoulder at each card with interest. After a bit, we began playing. I put down my first card, a Mace Major, hoping I was doing this right. A few people interested in Skystones left their tables and came over to watch. The Sky Baron placed down his card, a Boom Fiend. His card has more jagged edges than mine, so my card flipped and became his. I gulped. I had bet my last ten coins in this stupid game and was off to a bad start. "Uh, maybe I should forfeit." I said worriedly.

"Aw, come on, don't back out now, man!" one of the onlookers said. He was a blue gremlin with a bottle of green potion in his hand. He was sloshing it around with excitement as he watched. "The match has only just begun!"

"Yeah, you've got this, newbie!" said an elf with glowing eyes in a quiet voice. She was dressed in a leather outfit and holding a dragon fang dagger in each hand. I don't know why, but something about her reminded me of Flameslinger. I smiled underneath my fake beard, suddenly feeling more confident as I placed down my next card above the Boom Fiend. A Gargantula. The onlookers gasped in awe and applauded. My card had four jagged edges on one side and easily overshadowed the Sky Baron's card. The score was two for me, one for him. The match went on for a few more minutes. I watched as he placed his last card, an Arkean Jouster, on the board, making it a tie game and greatly discouraging me. I looked at my last card and grinned. The Sky Baron had given me a card that ensured me the win! I don't know whether he did that to be humble or just by mistake, but I was glad to know that those twenty coins, not to mention his best card, were mine.

"Arkean Ultron." I announced, causing the Sky Baron's confident smile to fall flatter than a pancake. The onlookers' jaws all dropped, and then they cheered.

"You fought a good fight!" the Sky Baron said, shaking my hand. "Name's Jet-Vac. Just joined the Skylanders. Maybe we could play again sometime."

I was dumbfounded. I had been in the company of Skylanders for the last five minutes and had actually gained something from the experience rather than having been hauled off to jail.

"Yeah, you're pretty good!." the potion sloshing alchemist declared. "Name's Pop Fizz. I also just got into the Skylander racket."

"And I'm Stealth Elf." the quiet elf said. "Also a new Skylander. Glad to have met you."

"If you ever need help with anything, just give us a shout." Jet-Vac said, smiling. "We're here to help."

I found myself thinking about that with great interest. Maybe with the help of the Skylanders, I could clear my name and get a better future for myself. I watched as Jet-Vac and the others walked over to the bar. I leapt up and hurried after them.

"Now that you mention it, there's something I'd like to know." I said eagerly. "Are the Skylanders still… You know… Recruiting?"

"Ha! I knew we had found a good one!" Jet-Vac declared proudly. "What's your name, sir?"

"Folks around here know me as the Chompy Mage." I said.

"I see. Do you have any special skills?"

"Well, I can create shockwaves by thinking about it." I admitted. "Also, I can play the flute."

"Shockwaves? How deliciously interesting!" a screechy voiced teenager two tables away declared. The Skylanders and I glanced over at the horrible sound of his voice. He was sitting in the company of a skinny, lanky green troll. The teenager was wearing a dark crimson robe and had strange tattoos on his face, as well as a full head of thick, curly brown hair. "Sounds like you have a knack for magic!"

Jet-Vac cleared his throat. "Yes, well, if you like, I could arrange an audience with Master Eon for you, Mister Chompy Mage."

"Nonsense!" the screechy voiced teenager said, grinning wickedly. "He's a natural at magic. That requires a very delicate type of training. I think I can help you there, Chompy Mage. I'm a natural at magic myself. Isn't that right, Glumshanks?" he asked, addressing his troll companion. When the troll didn't respond, the teenager nudged him hard in the shoulder.

"Oh, yes, Master! Very much so!" Glumshanks said quickly.

"Check this out!" The teenager declared, holding out his palm, in which a fireball suddenly appeared. "If you want to learn some cool tricks like that, I can teach you, Chompy Mage. I've got a whole bunch of books on magic back at my lair- Er, I mean, my place of residence. What do you say?" he asked, extinguishing the flame and reaching out to shake my hand. I had wanted to join the Skylanders, but if this guy was just like me, a natural born sorcerer who was self-taught, then he was the best choice for me to turn to. Perhaps with his help, I could become great. Perhaps with his help, I could become a genuine hero.

"I think I'll take a raincheck on that offer, Jet-Vac." I said as I shook the teenager's hand. "Please, teach me everything you know. I want to learn all I can about magic."

"All in good time, sir." the teenager said casually. "For now, let us leave this place. Goodbye, Skylanders. I leave you with my supremely awesome name: Kaos." With that, he, Glumshanks and I filed out of the tavern. Jet-Vac narrowed his eyes at Kaos' retreating back.

"There's something I don't like about that guy." he said, straightening the vacuum gun strapped to his back.

"Ah, I wouldn't worry about him. He's just some snotty-nosed kid." Pop Fizz said, sniffing his potion. "I mean, it's not like he'll grow up to try and take over Skylands or something."

* * *

"Glumshanks?" Kaos called, pacing around the training room of his flying fortress. "GLUMSHANKS!"

"I'm coming, master!" the troll called, hurrying into the room, carrying a tray ladled with a box of popcorn and a large soda. He placed the tray on the table next to Kaos' throne, bowed and left quietly. Kaos shook his head at the troll's tardiness and turned to me. I was standing in the middle of the room, plenty of space to move around in.

"Okay, Chompy Mage, show me what you can do." he said before taking a long slurping sip of his drink. I was a little nervous as I felt the energy build up inside me. When the orange shockwave finally burst forth, it came out with far too much intensity and knocked Kaos' chair and table over backwards, causing him to fall along with them. He sat up with the popcorn box upside down on his head.

"Whoa, take it easy, fool!" he exclaimed irritably. He then looked thoughtful. "Hmm. It seems that while you have magic, you are unable to channel it effectively, thus making your powers somewhat unpredictable. Let me have a look at your staff for a second."

I walked up and passed him my staff. He turned it over in his hands, examining it thoroughly. "Crude." he mumbled. "Primitive. No magical properties. A mere stage prop at best." he announced, handing it back to me. "No matter. I have something that will make it a GLORIOUS vessel through which you can properly harness your powers." With that, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small crystal shard. It was black and quite sinister looking.

"Illegal Traptanium." Kaos announced with a wicked grin. "Acquired on the black market and infused with the power of the Darkness by yours truly. Place this inside that little plush Chompy on the end of your staff. With it, you will be able to focus your powers and make them a little more controllable. Alternatively, you can suck the magical energy from your surroundings and unleash it at your leisure to introduce those who oppose you to their ultimate DOOOOOM!"

I looked at the crystal apprehensively. "I don't know." I said. "I'm trying to avoid anything illegal right now. I mean, I'm kind of on the run from the Skylanders, actually."

"Don't be a fool, fool!" Kaos exclaimed angrily. "I am offering you the chance to be great! GREAT! Take it!" He then calmed down somewhat. "Look, buddy, with this in your possession, you'll never need to fear the Skylanders again! I sure don't!"

My hand shaking, I took the crystal and added it to my staff.

"Excellent." Kaos said, his voice dripping with cold, cruel satisfaction. "I have a feeling that I will not regret this! Hahaha! Now, I will educate your dimwitted mind in the ways of sorcery! I trust that you can pay attention?"

"Uh, yes… Master." I said, feeling a sense of foreboding about this whole thing.

Kaos trained me over the next few weeks, pitting me against a wide variety of his minions starting with Chompies. He was irritated at first about how I refused to fight them, but was intrigued at how I seemed to have a way with them. I could make them go from feral to tame just by talking to them gently and, before long, get them to fight by my side. I was really living up to my name as the Chompy Mage.

One day, Kaos told me that he wanted me to put my skills to use in a practical situation. When I found out what it was, I was shocked by his daring.

"But we can't destroy the Core of Light!" I exclaimed as I stared over the balcony of my master's hovering castle at the great machine below. "It keeps the Darkness from spreading all across Skylands. Plus, we'd never get near it. It's protected by Master Eon and his Skylanders."

"You fool! Don't you get it, my dimwitted apprentice?" Kaos exclaimed. "When Skylands is covered by the Darkness, our powers will be greatly ENHANCED! Enhanced to levels where we will be unmatched! And when that happens, Eon and his miserable Sky-losers will kneel before me! KNEEL! Now, turn into your Mega-Chompy form and create a diversion while I power up my Super Deluxe Ultimate Fireball of Supremely Awesome… DOOOOM!"

I glared at Kaos. He may have taught me everything I know, but he was going too far right now. "No!" I said simply. I then fired a beam of energy at him from my staff.

I only meant to knock Kaos off his feet, and while I succeeded in doing that, my sudden attack had a devastating side effect. Devastating for Kaos himself, that is.

"No. No!" Kaos gasped. He was on his hands and knees, staring in horror at the many brown hairs that littered the balcony around him. A strong wind blew past and whisked each and every one of them away. Kaos hurried to the window and examined his reflection.

He was completely bald.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he howled. He whirled around and glared at me. "YOU! YOU DID THIS! YOU WILL PAY WITH YOUR-!"

The flying castle hit a rock pillar and shook violently, sending Kaos stumbling backwards toward the balcony…

…and over the edge. I rushed over and looked down at him. He had been caught by Spyro, who was holding the evil Portal Master by the collar in his strong dragon jaws. The other Skylanders were gathered around, their weapons aimed at Kaos.

"This isn't over, fools!" the villain shrieked. "I may have lost today thanks to that good-for-nothing apprentice of mine, but someday, I'll destroy the Core of Light and rule Skylands as its emperor!"

I teleported out of Kaos' castle, leaving my ex-master in the mess he had gotten himself into. I went far away, to a desolate island where I could be alone, save for Chompy Puppet.

And my Chompies.

My many, many beloved Chompies...


	5. Imprisoned

5: Imprisoned

Years passed, during which I found myself living in caves and fields, rarely staying anywhere for too long. My magical powers flourished and I worked to master them without anyone to train me. I found more Chompies as I travelled. They joined up with me as friends and fighters. It was just me, Chompy Puppet and my Chompies for a while. Eventually, I found a sheet of parchment blowing in the wind during my travels and was intrigued by its written advertisement. It told of a Chompy Convention somewhere far from my location at the time, and I was excited. Finally, other people who shared my admiration for these creatures! I was determined to find this convention and set out all across Skylands, searching without rest. It wasn't long before I found myself lost.

I found myself in the outskirts of a place called Willikin Village. I didn't like the Willikin, and not just because they weren't Chompies, either. Those weird wooden guys were _creepy_. Seriously, they freak me out a little. Anyway, I staked out a spot to stay, having long since lost my bearings. The Chompy Convention would just have to wait.

Settling in proved to be a bit difficult, however. The Willikin seemed bent on running me out of town. They, like so many, misunderstood Chompies and wanted them gone before they could spread their 'mindless destruction' throughout the village. By this point, my magic was quite formidable and I was determined to claim the whole area as my own. My Chompies and I fended them off with sharp teeth, red magic and my Mega Chompy form. It was quite something to behold if I do say so myself. I've come a long way from that simple farm boy.

Of course, I should've known that my days of unleashing magic on innocent civilians (if only for my own sake) were numbered. I was only a matter of time before remnants of the past would come back to bite me in the… Ahem! Moving on, I eventually found my little place of residence, which was more of an outcropping than anything, being trespassed upon by some new faces. Non Willikin faces, to be precise. They were Skylanders, and one look at them told me that a lot had changed since my teenage years.

The first was a skeletal being with blue armour who wielded a glowing silver sword and spiked shield. The next was some sort of blue gremlin sloshing a bottle of potion around and…

"Pop Fizz?" I wondered aloud. Was that really the very same alchemist I had met back in that pub when I was still a teen? I shook the memory from my head. It made no difference. He and the others were here to oppose me, no doubt on behalf of those Willikin. "Greetings! I am the Chompy Mage!" I announced loudly, raising my staff. "And you are not Chompies, so…" I faltered, taking in the sight of the third and last Skylander. He was huge, and I mean HUGE! He looked like a mutant tree with curved horns, glowing blue eyes, a strange photosynthetic growth on one arm and a woodpecker perched on his head. He looked powerfully built. The Skylander, not the woodpecker, that is. I had heard rumours of giant Skylanders in the last couple of months. Looks like the stories are true. "...So I don't like you." I finished, collecting myself and continuing. "I think I'll have to drive you off with my magic!"

"Chompy power!" Chompy Puppet chirped.

With that, I began unleashing wave after wave of Chompies as well as an onslaught of red magic. It took the form of glowing saw blades that flew at the Skylanders, who began to charge at me, dodging magic and punching, slicing and throwing potions respectively at my Chompies. This went on for several minutes, with neither side really getting anywhere.

"I see the problem now!" I declared. "I'm not in the right form to defeat you!" On that note, I transformed into my Mega Chompy form and began rushing around, snapping at the Skylanders as they dodged and struck back. I couldn't believe their agility, or that they weren't terrified of me in this form. Before long, the skeletal knight struck a decisive blow to my lower back with his glowing blade and I howled in absolute agony, losing control of my magic, causing my form changing to go out of control. There was an explosion and I was sent flying, screaming as my charred from soared over the clouds. When I began to fall, I couldn't believe how far I had been launched. I landed right back where all this had started.

I landed in the field of the farm where I had grown up.

I heard someone cry out as I landed face first in the ploughing field, my face squashed against a pumpkin. I groaned weakly.

"Good gracious! Are you alright?" someone asked. I felt hands pulling me upright and I stood there, a little dazed as I stared at the person who had helped me up. As soon as I saw who it was, I gasped. He may have aged a bit, but he was surely my Dad. He shrieked at the sight of me.

"Chompy Mage!" he cried, alarmed. "Don't hurt my sheep! Take me if you must, but my sheep are too valuable!"

I couldn't let him know it was me. I had already hurt him so bad by running away from home in the first place. Looking back on it now, I never should've left. I had thought that there was a future out in the world for me. I thought I could be great, that I could even become a Skylander and make my Dad so proud of me, but I fell in with the wrong crowd and had to live life on the run. My Dad could never know any of that.

But of course, fate works in mysterious ways. By that, I mean that my fake beard fell off right then. I could tell that Dad recognised me in spite of it being so long since he last saw me.

"Son?" he asked, horrified. "You're the… No. NO! It can't be!" Tears actually began running down his face and he sank to his knees. He tossed back his head and howled in despair. "My son, my only son… HE'S A CRIMINAL WIZARD!"

I couldn't bear to see my Dad like this. There was nothing I could do to ease his tormented mind, his broken heart. So I did the only thing I could.

I decided to turn myself in.

The Skylanders arrived soon after I sent out the call. They were Trap Masters. I recognised Snap Shot at the head of the group.

"We've been looking for you for a long time, Chompy Mage." Snap Shot said. "You've inspired terror in a lot of people and stolen from all regions. You're making the right move turning yourself in."

He brought out the Traptanium crystal and I went in willingly. From within its confinements, I could see my Dad shaking his head sadly.

"All these years, I believed that wherever you were, you were making the right choices and being the best you could be, that you had become a good person. I was wrong, it seems. You're not a good person. You're not… not my son."

That was all I heard after that, as the effects of the crystal plunged my mind into darkness…

I awoke later, very aware of the pouring rain ravaging the sky ship the Skylanders and I were aboard. I watched from inside the crystal as the heroes manned the ropes, adjusting the sails so that we didn't crash into the ominous building a short way away.

Cloudcracker Prison. I never thought it would end like this, to spend the rest of my days behind bars, unwanted, unremembered. When we docked, and once we were inside, the Skylanders released me from the crystal and confiscated my staff and Chompy Puppet, much to my dismay. We had scarcely been apart in forever. Snap Shot and a tough looking Skylander with crystal hammers - Wallop, I think his name was - showed me into a cell.

"This is where you belong now, Chompy Mage." Snap Shot said as he closed the cell door. "I suggest you get used to it." He walked away, leaving me to let out a sigh as I looked around the dank, shadowy cell, fragments of Traptanium in the walls. I sighed again.

"Quit sighing, will ya?" A growling voice said sharply from a dark corner of the cell. "This place is depressing enough as it is."

I frowned, recognising the voice. "Wolfgang? Is that you?"

"Yeah, maybe." the crimson werewolf said, stepping into the light. He was bigger and more savage looking than I remembered. "Who wants to know?"

"It's me. Mage." I said.

Wolfgang raised his eyebrows. "Mage? The kid I had in my school band once? Small world."

"How did you end up here?" I asked.

"I've been here for a while. After I led the Skylanders away from you, I was captured soon after."

"You mean after you left me at the mercy of the Skylanders!" I corrected him angrily.

"Whatever. Point is, I ended up here. I figured that they'd get you as well, but I thought it'd be a lot sooner."

"Yeah, you probably told them all about me in the hopes I'd be dragged down with you!"

"Actually, I didn't."

I was surprised. "What?"

"I never said a word about you. I felt kind of bad for dragging you into my business. I mean, yeah, that was the intention, but as you know, the whole thing didn't go as planned and we all ended up in more trouble than I had anticipated. I guess I… I kind of felt like a jerk. I actually hoped you'd get away and keep on living normally, strange as that sounds. That way, at least one of us would."

I shook my head. "I've been running and hiding ever since, even hiding my identity. The Skylanders don't even know that I'm the same person!"

"Wow, that's pretty impressive, kid."

"Don't call me kid. I'm about the same age as you. This beard is fake."

"Anyway. I wish I could've pulled off a trick like that. Might've helped me stay out of trouble for a while longer." Wolfgang mused. He sighed. "And to think, all this for a chance to be someone greater than I was."

That sounded like something I would say. "Wolfgang, exactly why did you try to steal that charity money?" I asked.

"I wanted money to get myself into the music industry when I finished school. Playing the guitar was everything to me. I can't even do _that_ anymore. The Skylanders confiscated my piece. Probably destroyed her for all I know, so I have no reason to get out of here anyway."

"No, they didn't destroy it!" I said, remembering what I saw as I was brought in. "When they took my stuff, I saw your bone guitar in the storage locker!"

Wolfgang gasped. "Did she look okay?" he asked hopefully.

"Yeah, it looked pretty well preserved. I think it'd still be playable, possibly even still in tune!"

At this, Wolfgang leapt up and started tearing at the bars, both with his claws and with his teeth. The Skylander on guard duty, Krypt King, saw him and came over, rapping on the bars with a giant Traptanium sword.

"Settle down in there, Wolfgang! Don't make me suspend any more of your privileges!"

"Wolfgang, what're you doing?!" I asked as the Krypt King walked away.

"My guitar's out there! She needs me! She needs to feel my fingers lovingly strumming her! She needs me back and I need her back!" The werewolf clenched his fists in frustration.

"I feel the same way about Chompy Puppet." I muttered. "Still, I don't know how we're going to get out of here."

At my words, a great rumbling sounded. Quite suddenly, the walls in many cells began to explode, causing prisoners to cry out in alarm.

"ATTENTION, INMATES OF CLOUDCRACKER PRISON!" A booming voice called, sounding as though it was coming through a loudspeaker. "I, KAOS, HAVE FREED YOU FROM YOUR CONFINEMENT OF UNFAIR DOOM! THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO REDEEM YOURSELF. REDEEM YOURSELF TO EVIL, THAT IS! GO FORTH AND SPREAD GLORIOUS DOOM THROUGHOUT ALL OF SKYLANDS! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Prisoners began fleeing joyfully, the Skylanders unable to stop them, for there were too many convicts to restrain. The effects of the Traptanium that had lined the cells were fading now that many of the walls had been damaged. And yet…

Wolfgang groaned loudly at the fact that our cell was still completely intact. None of the other prisoners were stopping to let us out. It was every man for himself.

"Damn! What're we supposed to do now?" he asked.

"I wouldn't worry." I said, smiling smugly as I stepped forward. "Old habits die hard."

Glowing orange shockwaves shot out of me and the cell door burst open. Wolfgang and I immediately went for the storage lockers, got our stuff and were on our way to freedom!


	6. Super Magma Form!

6: Super Magma Form!

We had been on the run for about a week, Wolfgang and I, using my magic and Chompies in conjunction with his destructive music to steal food, coins and whatever else we needed. We even joined up with one of Wolfgang's old friends, Krankcase, a green guy with some kind of tech device that launches a hazardous liquid. He's really the smart one of the group, even though Wolfgang acts as leader. Anyway, we were making our way across the fields, looking for anything of value, when Wolfgang held out a hand to stop us.

"Look who it is." he said smugly, pointing ahead. I could see Skylanders, including Trap Masters, gathered up ahead in a group. Before Krankcase or I could say anything, the crimson furred werewolf was marching up to them. The Skylanders turned and gasped at the sight of the muscular guitarist.

"It's Wolfgang!" one of them hissed.

"Well, well, well. Look what we've got here. The Trap Losers." Wolfgang declared, licking his lips.

"We're the Trap _Masters_, mate, and we're about to teach an old dog new tricks!" Snap Shot stated. With that, the Skylanders attacked. It was rough. Krankcase went head to head with Jet-Vac while I contended with Pop Fizz and Trigger Happy. Wolfgang was at the mercy of Snap Shot and Wallop and boy, were they tough!

"EAT MY VEGGIES!" roared Food Fight, a Life Skylander with a tomato launching gun. He shot a tomato at Wolfgang's face, blinding him for a moment and giving the Trap Masters the opportunity to subdue Wolfgang, his bone guitar landing right in front of him, barely missing his crotch. The werewolf sat up, dazed.

"Leo! The trap! Put it in the Portal!" Snap Shot cried desperately, addressing someone unseen. Was it a Portal Master? It must've been. Seconds later, a swirling vortex appeared and Wolfgang started to get sucked into it.

"Hey! What's happening?!" he shrieked, terrified, trying to dig his guitar into the ground and hang onto it, fighting the pull of the vortex. With a terrified scream, he was sucked in and vanished. Krankcase and I didn't know what had happened to him.

"It's okay, Leo. He's one of us now." Snap Shot said calmly, still addressing the Portal Master. Right then, Wolfgang materialised out of thin air, strumming his guitar triumphantly.

"Whoa. It feels good… to be good!" he exclaimed. I was confused. Wolfgang? Good? Not my impression to say the least. Then he started playing a cool tune… for the Skylanders! He was practically partying with them! Krankcase and I could see that he had abandoned us. What the hell had the Skylanders and their Portal Master done to him?

"Uh, run away?" I asked Krankase. He nodded. With that, we both ran, screaming, "RUN AWAY!" We didn't want whatever madness had befallen Wolfgang to happen to us. Krankcase and I even split up so that at least one of us could shake off the Skylanders. I retreated to my old lair that I had made years ago before meeting Kaos. It was magnificent; a stone overhang shaped like a gaping Chompy's mouth with a small arena for me to fight trespassers in. I was determined to be ready for the Skylanders. They wouldn't stop me so easily. Me, the guy who had had to fight for everything he owns, and who was still fighting! I didn't choose to be an outlaw; this life was thrust upon me and I had to adjust and adapt to survive. Maybe it was too late. Maybe there was no bright future for me, no ray of hope, no… anything! But if I was going to be taken down by the Skylanders, I'd fight one last time and die with dignity. It so happened that I had a trick up my sleeve that I had never shown anyone.

And sure enough, Snap Shot and the other Skylanders found my lair and I was waiting for them. Everything was set. This was it.

"It is I, the Chompy Mage, and you are still not a Chompy, so I still don't like you!" I declared mockingly.

"LET'S ROCK!" Chompy Puppet roared.

I transformed into my Mega Chompy form and started racing around the arena, throwing my trademark orange shockwaves and swarms of Chompies everywhere, but the Skylanders were persistent. They overcame everything I threw at them. I changed back to normal and teleported onto my pedestal.

"I think I see the problem now: I'm not using all my powers to defeat you!" I declared.

"CHOMPY POWER!" Chompy Puppet cheered.

I changed into my Super Magma Form, my most powerful ability ever. I started throwing lava and magma all over the place. I was starting to wear the Skylanders down, but then one of them struck a decisive blow in my lower back, defeating me the same way as last time. Typical, to say the least. I went down, slumped in a sitting position while they suddenly threw a force field of some kind around me.

"What's going on now, Chompy Puppet?" I asked nervously.

"I don't know, man."

It was then that the green vortex appeared. It was the same thing Wolfgang had been subjected to. I fought against it, shrieking and protesting.

"No! What did I do to deserve this?" I howled before remembering. "Oh, right! All that stuff I did!" As I was finally sucked in, I let out this mournful wail: "Who will look after the CHOMPIEEEEES?!"

The next thing I knew, I was crammed in somewhere. Somewhere dark and mysterious. I was scared, and yet, there was something familiar about all this.

"Huh? What? Where am I?" I moaned, not really expecting an answer. "It's very dark in here, and it kind of smells like mustard!"

_"Chompy Mage trapped."_ A deep, echoing voice said.

"What is that guy talking about? Oh, this is very weird!" I complained. It was then that everything around me came into focus, and I did not like it.

I was in a Traptanium crystal. Again. But something was different. I could see the world outside the crystal, but it didn't look like anything from Skylands. Everything was gigantic. It looked as though I was on a small wooden table in someone's house. I seemed to be on some sort of Portal of Power. There were Skylanders on the table around me but they didn't move. They looked like they were frozen in their current poses and positions. I called out to them, but they didn't respond.

A loud belch caught my attention. That's when I saw the kid.

The gigantic human kid. He had a can of soda in one hand and some kind of black device with multicoloured buttons on it in the other. He set the can of soda down next to the frozen Skylanders and helped himself to some potato chips from a dish that I had only just noticed. He chewed with his mouth open and I could see everything. It was disgusting.

The worst part was that he was sitting there in his underwear.

Now I was really terrified. I was trapped in some strange world with some gangly human kid who looked like he could snap a Skylander's neck thanks to his size. I didn't like this. I wanted to go home. Underneath the beard and costume, I was just a young man, only in my early twenties, for crying out loud! I whimpered with sadness and fear. This was too much. I had been through too much and now I didn't know what was going to happen to me.

"I never should've left the farm." I said with a dry sob. Then I wailed, "OH, DADDY!" It was pathetic, I know, but I had finally had it. I didn't want to do this anymore. I didn't want to do anything. I was finished, done, at the end of the road, completely at the mercy of a kid who looked to be about twelve years old. I just wanted to go home, to put this whole nightmare behind me.

I don't know how long I was stuck there. I think I blacked out a few times. After a time, possibly a few days, I was quietly crying to myself when I realised that the boy was looking down at me. There was something in his eyes. Was it pity? he pressed a button on the black device and suddenly I was whooshing through who-knows-what heading who-knows-where. Suddenly, my feet touched solid ground and I gasped.

"I'm… I'M BACK IN SKYLANDS?!" I shrieked. It was incredible. I had never been so glad to see this place of magic, mayhem and mishaps. I knelt down and kissed the ground. I could hear laughter. It sounded like Wolfgang and… someone else. Familiar voices that I hadn't heard for so long.

"Wowsers, it looks like someone's glad to be home!" Flynn said.

"I can't believe it's really him!" Roller Brawl said in amazement. "You should've told us, Wolfgang!"

"You never asked." Wolfgang declared.

It was then that one member of the group stepped forward and looked down at me as I was sprawled on my hands and knees. He was an elf with pointed ears, stylish boots, a glowing bow in hand and a blindfold over his eyes. He was the most familiar of all of them. He reached down and helped me to my feet.

"It's been a long time… Mage." he said curtly. "Remember me?"

"Flameslinger?" I asked, awestruck, for it was indeed Flameslinger. His cold look turned into a smile and he playfully punched me in the shoulder.

"Small world, huh?" he said, grinning. "I never thought things would turn out like this. Adventure is knocking! Let the flames begin!"

**No, this is NOT the end quite yet, but this is sure exciting, is it not? Stay tuned; there's not all that much more to go!**


	7. A Chance to Start Again?

7: A Chance to Start Again?

It was very strange, I must say, to be a guest at the Skylanders' new headquarters, a magnificent castle founded and ran by the Trap Masters. I found myself sitting in the castle's gleaming mess hall, gingerly chewing on a taco. It was quite well made; the perfect meat to lettuce ratio, actually. Still, this whole thing was strange.

Roller Brawl and Flameslinger came over with trays of food and sat down on either side of me, proceeding to eat rather greedily. I had to admit that it had been a rather tiring mission, taking on a big lumbering tank piloted by two particularly dimwitted trolls. The tank had a huge chainsaw on the front instead of a turret and was called the Shrednaught. The lot of us won the battle by the skin of our teeth, trapping the tank - trolls and all - in a crystal and conscripting them onto our side. Even that felt strange, thinking of this as 'our side'. The winning side. The good side.

I didn't belong here. Of that much, I was sure.

After dinner, I excused myself and headed to the sleeping chambers. My bed looked quite comfortable. The Skylanders had even customised it with a Chompy design, the bedposts mounted with little Chompy statues and the quilt bearing a picture of yours truly holding my staff up toward a lightning strike, drawing power from an unseen force. It was quite impressive and I admit that it made me smile. Yep, the Skylanders sure knew how to make a guy feel welcome. They're a good group.

That's why I felt that I shouldn't be here. these guys had worked hard every day to preserve peace, bring about safety and whatever else whereas I had caused nothing but trouble all my life. I had forsaken my own father, picked every pocket I had come across and scared the living daylights out of whole villages with my Chompy squad. I had always told myself that I was doing only what I needed to do to survive, but now that I really stopped and thought about it, I had started to enjoy causing trouble, even if I hadn't realised it. My interactions with Wolfgang and Kaos had just gotten the ball rolling. Was I really at the mercy of its rolling or could I have stopped it at any time?

I found myself still dwelling on this, still staring at the ceiling long after the Skylanders and other recruited villains had fallen asleep. Eventually, I sat up with a sigh. I couldn't stay here. These were good people. Well, maybe not the trapped villains, but the Skylanders and their friends and associates, like Flynn and the others, were definitely so. I had caused nothing but trouble for all whom I had met throughout my life. If there was any chance of redemption, it was long gone. I got up, packed my things silently and started to head out, gazing up at the beautiful full moon in the night sky as I stepped outside. It was a real nice night. Too nice for someone like me to ruin with my presence. I took a step forward.

"Hey." a voice said behind me, making me jump. I turned to see Roller Brawl. She was still in her derby gear, but her helmet and claws were not present and her pink hair hung down, unbraided. "Where you going?" she asked.

"Who knows?" I said grimly. "Somewhere to cause trouble, no doubt, but at least I won't be causing trouble here."

"What do you mean?" Roller Brawl inquired. "Your place is here."

"No, it isn't!" I snapped, instantly regretting my harsh tone. I sighed. "I'm a villain, Roller Brawl. I'll always be a villain. I can't change. I've tried. I have honestly tried to steer myself down a righteous path, but every time, fate has other plans. I have no right to be here. I don't belong here. Everyone hates me. Heck, my own father hates me. And why shouldn't he? Everything I've ever done, good or bad, started with me defying him. I'm worthless."

Roller Brawl frowned. She slapped me in the face. It was a good thing she wasn't wearing her claws or things could've gotten bloody. "Don't you dare say that, Mage! I grew up with you! I of all people should know that you're not worthless!"

"I am!" I insisted, "Even when Wolfgang dragged me into his charity band scheme, you and the others suspected the worst about me right away!"

"No! I didn't! None of us did! Not me, not Flynn and certainly not Flameslinger! We were disgusted that Wolfgang had actually managed to trick you into helping his scheme! He's a jerk! He's always been a jerk! We were disgusted by _him_ if anyone. As for you, we felt sorry for you, Mage, especially Flames. The first few weeks you were gone after that, he refused to accept that you had vanished. He went out looking for you. In fact, he earned his prized blindfold and boots by performing heroic deeds _while on a quest to find you_."

"He… did?" I asked, dumbfounded. "But I… I thought he hated me."

"No one could hate the real you, Mage. Underneath the costume, underneath the beard, in spite of all the stuff you've done, you're not a bad person. You've made bad choices, but that doesn't make you a bad person. You can still make the right choices. There's still time."

"Is there? Is there really?" I demanded doubtfully. "My father hates me. I joined Kaos when I could've joined you and the Skylanders. I took over and terrorised a village. Do you honestly think that there's even the slightest chance that I can turn all that around?"

"Yes!" Roller Brawl insisted. "Everyone may not like you all that much now, but that's because of what you have been all these years. You need to be the boy I remember. You need to be the _real_ Mage, the one who stuck out for his friends, the one who wanted to prove himself to the world and to his father, the one who I… Well, the one I kinda, sorta, maybe, possibly had the tiniest of crushes on."

I hadn't been expecting that. "Wow, really?" I asked softly.

Roller Brawl blushed. "Never mind that now. My point is that you've done some bad stuff, but that doesn't make you who you are. You need to be what you choose to be, what the world needs you to be, not what the world might see you as.

"I… I… I'll think about it, okay?" I said.

"So you'll stay?" the undead skater asked.

I nodded. "I'll stay." I said with a smile, tugging off the beard so she could see my true face, my true smile.

And so, I've been living at the base for a while now, getting to know the Skylanders and recruited villains. Wolfgang has really come around, playing guitar solos for us almost every night. Flameslinger and I are old buddies again, playing Skystones tournaments at every chance of a break along with Jet-Vac, Pop Fizz, Stealth Elf and the rest in a small circle of friends that I'm proud to say I'm a part of. Some of the missions have been quite exciting, even fun, like the one a couple weeks back when we caught Chill Bill. Real fun guy. I'm gonna have to have a go at using that freeze ray.

I feel that I'm really starting to fit in. If my dad could see me now, I think he'd be proud of me.

And that's my story. I am the Chompy Mage, and though I don't really like those who aren't Chompies, I think I have learned to show such people respect and treat them as equals. Thanks for hearing my story, but in truth, I think my story is just beginning, because tomorrow, the Skylanders and I are going after…

…Kaos…

**The End**

**The story may be over, but you can still follow the Chompy Mage's adventures in **_Skylanders: Trap Team_** when said video game is released. Enjoy it. I know I will.**

**And I hope you enjoyed this story, too. In the words of the Skylander Chill...**

**Stay cool, readers!**


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